---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 8445"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "8445"
heading: "Rights of a former spouse"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/8445"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart G — Insurance and Annuities"
  - "Chapter 84 — Federal Employees’ Retirement System"
  - "Subchapter IV — Survivor Annuities"
---

# §8445. Rights of a former spouse

- (a) Subject to subsections [(b)](#b) through [(e)](#e), a [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12) of a deceased [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2), [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20), or [annuitant](/usc/5/8401.md?p=2) (or of a former [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) or [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) who dies after having separated from the [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) with title to a deferred annuity under [section 8413](/usc/5/8413.md) but before having established a valid claim for annuity) is entitled to an annuity under this section, if and to the extent expressly provided for in an election under [section 8417(b)](/usc/5/8417.md?p=b), or in the terms of any decree of divorce or annulment or any [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7) order or [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7)-approved property settlement agreement incident to such decree.
- (b)
  - (1) The annuity payable to a [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12) under this section may not exceed the difference between—
    - (A) the amount applicable in the case of such [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12), as determined under [paragraph (2)](#b-2); and
    - (B) the amount of any annuity payable under this section to any other [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12) of the [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2), [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20), or [annuitant](/usc/5/8401.md?p=2), or former [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) or [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20), based on an election previously made under [section 8417(b)](/usc/5/8417.md?p=b), or a [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7) order previously issued or agreement previously entered into as described in [subsection (a)](#a).
  - (2) The applicable amount, for purposes of [paragraph (1)(A)](#b-1-A) in the case of a [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12), is the amount of the annuity which would be payable under the provisions of [section 8442](/usc/5/8442.md) (including [subsection (f)](/usc/5/8442.md?p=f) of such section, but without regard to [subsection (h)](/usc/5/8442.md?p=h) of such section) if such [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12) were a [widow](/usc/5/8441.md?p=1) or [widower](/usc/5/8441.md?p=2) entitled to an annuity under such provisions based on the [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) of the deceased [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2), [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20), or [annuitant](/usc/5/8401.md?p=2), or former [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) or [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20).
- (c) The commencement and termination of an annuity payable under this section shall be governed by the terms of the applicable order, decree, agreement, or election, as the case may be, except that any such annuity—
  - (1) shall not commence before—
    - (A) the day after the [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2), [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20), or [annuitant](/usc/5/8401.md?p=2), or former [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) or [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20), dies; or
    - (B) the first day of the second month beginning after the date on which the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) receives written notice of the order, decree, agreement, or election, as the case may be, together with such additional information or documentation as the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) may prescribe;

    whichever is later; and

  - (2) except as provided in [subsection (h)](#h), shall terminate no later than the last day of the month before the [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12) remarries before becoming 55 years of age or dies.
- (d) For purposes of this chapter, a modification in a decree, order, agreement, or election referred to in [subsection (a)](#a) shall not be effective—
  - (1) if such modification is made after the retirement or death of the [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2), [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20), or [annuitant](/usc/5/8401.md?p=2), or former [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) or [Member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20), concerned; and
  - (2) to the extent that such modification involves an annuity under this section.
- (e) For purposes of this chapter, a decree, order, agreement, or election referred to in [subsection (a)](#a) shall not be effective, in the case of a [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12), to the extent that it is inconsistent with any joint waiver previously executed with respect to such [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12) under [section 8416(a)](/usc/5/8416.md?p=a).
- (f)
  - (1) Any amount under [section 8442(b)(1)(A)](/usc/5/8442.md?p=b-1-A) which would otherwise be payable to a [widow](/usc/5/8441.md?p=1) or [widower](/usc/5/8441.md?p=2) based on the [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) of another individual shall be paid (in whole or in part) by the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) to a [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12) of such individual if and to the extent expressly provided for in the terms of a [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7) decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation, or the terms of a [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7) order or [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7)-approved property settlement incident to any decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation.
  - (2) [Paragraph (1)](#f-1) shall apply only to payments made by the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) after the date of receipt in the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of written notice of such decree, order, or agreement, and such additional information and documentation as the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) may prescribe.
- (g) Any payment under this section to a [person](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-1) bars recovery by any other [person](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-1).
- (h)
  - (1) [Subsection (c)(2)](#c-2) (to the extent that it provides for termination of a [survivor](/usc/5/8401.md?p=28) annuity because of a remarriage before age 55) shall not apply if the [former spouse](/usc/5/8401.md?p=12) was married for at least 30 years to the individual on whose [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) the [survivor](/usc/5/8401.md?p=28) annuity is based.
  - (2) A remarriage described in [paragraph (1)](#h-1) shall not be taken into [account](/usc/5/8401.md?p=1) for purposes of [section 8419(b)(1)(B)](/usc/5/8419.md?p=b-1-B) or any other provision of this chapter which the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) may by regulation identify in order to carry out the purposes of this subsection.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 99–335, title I, § 101(a), June 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 564; amended Pub. L. 105–61, title V, § 518(b)(2), Oct. 10, 1997, 111 Stat. 1308.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1997—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 105–61, § 518(b)(2)(B), substituted “except as provided in subsection (h), shall” for “shall”.

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 105–61, § 518(b)(2)(A), added subsec. (h).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1997 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–61 applicable with respect to remarriages occurring on or after Jan. 1, 1995, see section 518(c) of Pub. L. 105–61, set out as a note under section 8341 of this title.